


Forever Is a Goddamned Eternity

by Jane Elliot (JaneElliot)



Series: After the Void [2]
Category: StarCraft
Genre: Complicated Relationships, F/M, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-06
Updated: 2016-03-06
Packaged: 2018-05-25 01:05:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 857
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6174016
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JaneElliot/pseuds/Jane%20Elliot
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Jim went with Sarah, he had no idea what he was really getting into.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Forever Is a Goddamned Eternity

He waited for her to say something. She was the most powerful psionic in the universe. She had to know.

So he waited. He waited as she turned Drakken 4 from a hellish volcanic planet into something capable of supporting the primordial stew of amino acids that would eventually give rise to life. He waited as they checked in on the Zerg, covered by a cloak that even detectors couldn't penetrate. He waited as she started nudging asteroids into planetary orbits, setting up a whole new solar system for her experiments into new life forms.

Sarah Kerrigan turned night into day and dust into life and Jim Raynor did nothing but wait.

They were on an unnamed proto-planet when he finally cracked. It had been a long day of watching Sarah play with new animal structures, drawing models out of light and thin air, and all Jim could think about was: this was it. From this moment until he died, his life was going to be spent standing on the sidelines as Sarah worked miracles.

And the worst part was, his omniscient super-powered girlfriend didn't even seem to notice that there was a problem.

"Goddamn it, Sarah! Why won't you just say something?"

Sarah looked up from where she was creating something that looked like a cross between a spider and an octopus, if either of those things could fly. "Jim? What's wrong?"

He laughed, just a little hysterically. "Why're you asking me? Aren't you supposed to be able to read everyone's mind?"

Sarah leaned back, looking a little wary. Her octo-arachnid disappeared. "I could, but I usually don't bother. And I specifically shield myself from your thoughts."

Jim rocked back, stunned. "You aren't reading my thoughts?"

"Jim, we spend literally every minute of every day together." She sighed. "Which is the problem, isn't it? Giving you space in your own head isn't enough."

Jim sighed as well and dropped down to sit next to Sarah. "I'm sorry, darlin'. I guess I just didn't think this all through."

"No, it's my fault. I knew you didn't realize what I was offering." She hesitated. "Have you noticed that I stopped your aging?"

Jim stared at her, though the moment he thought about it, it made sense. Sarah had already been one step from immortal as a Zerg. As a Xel'Naga, she was nigh on indestructible. In the lifespan of a God, a human lived and died in an instant.

The more he thought about it, the more horrible it sounded. How could his love for Sarah ever survive the prison of eternity? "You mean I can't die?"

"No," Sarah said instantly, putting her hand on top of his. He had to fight to keep from pulling away. "I wouldn't do that to you, Jim. Someday, when you're ready, you'll die."

"But not until then."

"Not until you're ready," she confirmed. "Death isn't something that will just happen to you. Not anymore."

They were silent for a bit. "I did notice that knee of mine had stopped hurting."

"No reason to suffer if you don't have to," Sarah said with a shrug.

"Sarah..."

"Jim, I know."

He stared at her. "What happened to not reading my mind?"

"I don't need to read your mind. I know you. I've known you for a long time. And I've always known you were someone who needed social interaction."

Jim snorted. "Yeah, I'm a social butterfly."

A small smile touched the corners of her mouth. "Well, maybe not compared to some people, but compared to me? Yeah, you are."

Jim hadn't considered that before, but now that she mentioned it -- as a human she'd been a ghost and a sniper; as a zerg, she'd been the only one of her kind. Now she was the last Xel'Naga and, for all intents and purposes, a God. "Damn, darlin'."

Her lips were still turned up, but her smile was tinged with sadness. "Don't worry, Jim. It's not as bad as it sounds. I don't need much companionship. You, on the other hand -- you've always had friends. Matt, Tychus, Swann, your men -- you built an army of people to care about. Now it's just me."

Shit. Jim felt like the scum on the bottom of his boot. "Sarah..."

"It's okay, Jim. I understand." She reached out and touched his cheek and this time Jim leaned into her touch. "So you need a break. That doesn't mean we're saying goodbye forever."

Well, if anyone could promise that and make it true, it was Sarah. But still... "I thought you said I couldn't go back."

"Jim Raynor can't go back. You've been reported missing and presumed dead for over a year."

A year? Had it really been that long already?

"But Jim Raynor's just a name and a face," Sarah continued. "Both are easy enough to change."

And wasn't that a kick in the pants. Still, the thought was enough to ease the tightness in his chest, the painful lump he'd been carrying for weeks.

Suddenly eternity felt like it was full of possibilities.

Jim leaned forward and brushed his lips against Sarah's. "Thanks, darlin'."

"Anytime, Jim. Anytime."


End file.
